The benefits of recycling
As a business, you’re considered to have a ‘Duty of Care’ to ensure that the waste your business generates is produced, stored, transported and disposed of without harming the environment. This is set out in Section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, but new legislation takes this a step further by making business recycling a legal requirement.
But there’s more to recycling than complying with legislation!
There are lots of other great business reasons to recycle, including:
Helping to tackle climate change: According to RecycleNow current UK recycling is estimated to save more than 10-15 million tonnes of CO2 a year – the equivalent to taking 3.5 million cars off the road.
Reducing costs for your business: recycling is often cheaper than disposal, and larger organisations could save £400-£1,000 a year per employee WRAP Business Resource Efficiency Guide: Green office guide. Use our business waste calculator to find out how much you could save.
Helping fulfil your customers’ : as your suppliers and customers commit to , promoting your recycling activities will be increasingly important.
Improving process performance: eliminating and reducing waste will improve the performance of your processes by making them more efficient.
Attracting, motivating and retaining staff: a successful waste reduction and recycling programme depends on staff involvement and team-working, and people who feel part of an organisation and are asked to be involved with projects are more likely to feel valued by their employer.
80% of young people (aged 18-22) entering the workforce ranked tackling single use plastics as important for employers, ahead of reducing electricity and water consumption. 37% said that they would consider a potential employer’s environmental responsibility when looking for a job. – Business in the Community, Lifting the Lid on Waste.
It’s also worth acknowledging that employees, customers and investors increasingly scrutinise how companies operate. Setting bold public targets and demonstrating good practice in waste management sends a powerful message. It shows that your business assumes responsibility for the resources it uses and the waste it generates, demonstrates leadership and shows your business to be forward-thinking.